Perfect Portrait
by akatsuki-kage
Summary: Naruto is depressed because he misses Sasuke and Sai wants to help his new blonde team mate but doesn't know how, yet he decides to try his best to help anyway he can! ---- NaruSaiNaru story!


**I felt like trying something new, so I decided to try to write a NaruSaiNaru fanfiction! has hinted SasuNaruSasu too!**

**plot: Naruto is depressed because he misses Sasuke and Sai wants to help his new blonde team mate but doesn't know how, yet he decides to try his best to help anyway he can!**

**also all of the characters and settings, etc, in this fanfiction belong to the great MASASHI KISHIMOTO! meaning I own nothing!!**

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Sai felt concerned. Well, that's what he thought, he was feeling anyway. Only after reading about it first, just to be sure, not that it actually helped in the slightest. His dull onyx eyes watched with worry towards, his new blonde haired team mate. He'd always known Naruto to be, loudmouthed and hyperactive, but now, the Kyuubi vessel hardly spoke and didn't show up for anything. He just stayed at home, alone.

After much thought, Sai realized the answer. This depressed state was caused by Sasuke. The very person he was forced to replace, even if it was only meant to be temporary. Team Kakashi's new raven wanted to help, but somehow he knew that, his actions would just make things worse. How could he help anyway? Sai hadn't known Naruto for very long and hardly knew anything about him.

He often thought about talking to Sakura or maybe even Kakashi about it, but then, this artistic ANBU realized, it wasn't his place to interfere with other people's business. So he remained silent, wanting to help. But just couldn't.

One morning after buying new paint, for the second time this week, Sai slowly walked home. Nothing much on his mind, as usual. He didn't even notice Kakashi, until the taller male tapped his shoulder once.

"...Oh...hello Kakashi."

"Just the person I wanted to see, I've suddenly been called to do a mission, so give this to Naruto for me, I don't have time to go myself...You do know where he lives right?"

"...Yeah, just about." Kakashi just smiled, or it appeared to be a smile, as he handed him a small envelope.

"Thanks, also tell Naruto and Sakura, I'll be on a mission."

"Yeah...sure."

"Alright, thanks Sai." With that, the taller ninja vanished, leaving the ANBU artist alone. Feeling rather clueless as to what just happened. That envelope was plain, nothing special about it at all, once Sai took a closer look at it. With a weak sigh, he placed it into his bag, before changing course. Slowly, making his way towards Naruto's apartment. There wasn't any need to rush after all.

Five minutes passed, before the blonde teen opened his door. Somehow to Sai, he looked different. Not that he knew why.

"...Sai, What're you doing here?"

"Kakashi asked me to give you this and also he's on a sudden mission, he told me to tell you." He passed the envelope to his team mate, who just looked rather uninterested in this gift.

"What's this?."

"He didn't say, Just told me to give it to you." Naruto just nodded slightly, before closing his door, without saying goodbye or even thanks.

Sai didn't mind, for some reason. He knew Naruto had more to worry about, then his sudden lack of even less manners. He did manage a weak smile and left; suddenly he got that very familiar urge to paint. Or something else that was artistic.

His normally peaceful painting didn't happen. He started to create something, but for some unfamiliar reason, he just couldn't get the picture to work out. Then he realized that the unthinkable happened...Somehow, he had caught the rather irritating state of artlessness...Sai, somehow had art block. Something that's never happened before, well, except for that book he made for his brother, but that doesn't count, since he couldn't remember what was meant for the last page, well, up until he met Naruto of course. Other then that, this artistic ANBU never, had this annoying plague, well known as art block.

With nothing else to do, he flicked though some book titles, trying to pick something to read, Since now, He had nothing else to do. But before his onyx eyes managed to actually pick something, A knock lightly tapped at his door. Rather curious to know, who this unexpected visitor was, Sai quickly answered it. Completely surprised to find, his suddenly gone almost silent, blonde team mate.

"...N...Naruto?."

"...Hey, Sai...you busy?."

"...No...Why?." Blue eyes didn't look at his slightly taller team mate, as he stood there looking rather flustered. Sai hadn't seen this behaviour before and guessed it was nervousness, not that he knew why the blonde would be nervous.

"...Sakura and Iruka-sensei are busy...So I was wondering...If you'd go to Ichiraku with me, I don't feel like eating there alone...But if you're busy, It's fine, Forget I asked." A ever so slight hint of pink tinted the blonde's tanned cheeks, as he asked, yet still he couldn't bring himself to look at his newest team mate.

"I've never had anything from Ichiraku before."

"Never mind then, I shouldn't have asked." Naruto turned to leave swiftly, but Sai grabbed the back of that brightly coloured jacket, quickly stopping him from going anywhere.

"I wouldn't mind trying Ichiraku though, Would you like to go now or something?."

"...Really?...yeah, If that's alright." A smile crossed the ANBU's lips, one that blue eyes saw. Still it was a sight that slightly shocked him. But he still weakly smiled back.

"I've just got to sort a few things out first, so please come in." Naruto remembered his manners this time and removed his sandals before walking in. His natural curiosity taking over, as he looked round, feeling rather amazed at all the colourful pieces that lined these, pale painted walls.

Yet, he had noticed, none of them were named. Then his wondering eyes saw the new piece, Sai tried to start.

"Were you in the middle of painting?."

"No, I tried earlier but for some reason, I just couldn't paint today, but that one isn't going to be finished...there's something about it, I don't like." Sai admitted as he put his paint and brushes away, he hated to leave his home in an artistic mess, before going out anywhere.

"Really? Well, that's a shame, somehow I quite like it, even if it's unfinished...it just has something about it."

"Didn't know you like art, Naruto."

"Normally I don't, no offense to you but its rather boring, but I do like this for some reason." Sai finished his quick tidy up and looked at his unfinished work, trying to see what those blue eyes saw in this picture, but he couldn't see it.

"I won't be needing this, so you if want it, you're perfectly welcome to have it."

"Really?! You sure?." The raven artist nodded with a smile, but he had noticed the paint still was wet.

"Yeah, of course, but not yet, it's not dry at the moment."

"Ok, that's fine!"

Somehow Naruto's attitude lightened up. Sai didn't now if it was because, the blonde was going to his favourite place to eat in all of Konoha or the painting he'd just been given. That art blocked ANBU hoped the reason was the latter but something made him think it was Ichiraku instead. Thinking about it, made him feel strange, yet with his complete lack of information on emotions, Sai decided to try to research it later.

They remained silent until Naruto finally spotted his favourite place, suddenly he brightened up even more.

"Come on, Hurry up Sai, I'm starving!" The blonde quickly dashed away, also leaving his company to slowly walk after him. By the time the artist sat down, Naruto had already ordered, which, of course wasn't a surprise.

"Welcome!."

"...Hello..." Sai wasn't used to eating out, he felt uncomfortable and almost out of place. But also knew it was something to put up with, for Naruto's sake.

"So, What're you having?!" dull onyx eyes looked through the menu quickly and wasn't sure what to have, he wasn't a big fan of ramen either, but believed it was something new to try, with this rather large choice of meals.

"That's what I've ordered, personally, It's my favourite!" The looking happier blonde pointed to what he wanted. With a large smile on his face.

"Sounds nice."

"Hey, Make that order two!"

"Sure thing!" while waiting Sai tried to think of something to talk about, yet still being only an academy student when social skills are concerned, he couldn't think of anything, that might interest his blonde, loudmouthed companion.

"It's always best to have Ichiraku with someone, so thanks a lot Sai!" it had been a while since onyx eyes saw this blonde so happy and it also make him feel , something he thought was happiness too.

"You know...it's almost like having ramen with Sasuke...well, maybe not almost, but its close...we'll have ramen together one day, I just know it!"

"...So...you've never eaten ramen together?" Naruto had a semi-vacant stare. But his attention was clearly split in two. Half on this, rather onesided conversation and the other on his food.

"...No...Sasuke never liked the idea, no matter how much I nagged him over it...haha, stubborn git didn't give in once!...but I'm glad you're here Sai, other then Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei, no-one has time to eat with me, plus that tight arse Kakashi-sensei would make me pay for his...yet it does get lonely with them out them sometimes...ramens done!" Once Sai looked at his bowl, he felt slightly intimidated; Naruto had obviously ordered a large bowl, with extra everything too. 'No surprise there then' he thought before voicing his other opinion.

"Isn't this...a bit much?."

"Nope, Whatever you don't eat, I'll have!" Somehow, Sai was expecting an answer like that and silently started eating. Which couldn't be said for his current, energetic companion. The artistic raven managed to finish all of his meal, which didn't look like a good thing to Naruto.

"Got a bigger appetite then I thought! Shame really, I was hoping to have seconds, even though Sakura told me to eat less." The orange wearing ninja, just laughed slightly and handed the ramen shop owner, two pieces of paper, before standing with a stretch.

"I really feel like a mission, come on Sai, Let's go talk to grandma Tsunade!" he grabbed the artist and started to drag him out, yet Sai pulled back.

"I've got to pay first"

"Nope, I had two tickets for free ramen, So I paid for you, Now let's go, Quit stalling!" Naruto insisted on practically dragging his raven team mate, all the way to Tsunade's office and barging in, without knocking first, which also meant he made Sai show the same lack of respect and manners. Not that it was his fault; the blonde did almost drag him here.

"Grandma Tsunade, Have ya got a mission for me?!"

"Don't you ever knock?, What if I was in a meeting or something important?!" The boisterous blonde just smiled that almost goofy grin of his and surprisingly to Sai, it brought a weak smile to the Hokage's face also.

"Kakashi is out on a mission, so I can't give you one."

"Aw, but grandma Tsunade, There's gotta be something me, Sai and Sakura could do!." The fifth just looked at her assistant, Shizune; Who in return just sighed and looked at her current mission list. Naruto waited impatiently as usual, while Sai just silently kept to himself. Yet he wouldn't mind a mission either.

"There's simple transport mission, but you two will have to go on your own, Sakura has to stay in this village for at least another week, to complete her training."

"That's fine!, well, tell me, What will we be transporting?!"

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**My first chappy is done! hope you liked it and thanks so much for reading! please review! so I'll know if its worth continuing or not! thanks!!**


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